Pneumatic railway



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1. G. L. DU LANEY. PNEUMATIC RAILWAY.

Patented Mar. 12,1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.- G. L. DU LANEY.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY.

No. 399.319. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

GEORGE L. Di LANEY, OF PI-IIT..-\DELll[1A, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,319, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed August 8, 1837. Serial No. 246,449. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

lle it known that l, GEORGE L. DU LANEY, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of lenilsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pneumatic Railway Systems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon.

Figures 1 and 2 are cross-sectional views of I the air-tube and other parts referred to below. Fig. 3 shows a side view of a part of the driving-bar with horizontal slotted bar attached. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the air-tube, showing the construction and relative positions of the pistonheads and their connections. Fig. 5 is an end view of the piston-head, showing the slots and rubber lining of the head. Fig. 6 is a plan of the pistonwalve or disk. Fig. 7 is a plan showing the enlarged end of the adj Listing-rod and elbow-lever connections. Fig. Sis a plan or side view of the line-valve disconnected. Fig. 9 is a plan. of my switching device as applied to the junction of a branch line or roadway. Fig. 1.0 is a cross-sectional view of the joint-tubes and the box-like attachment in which they slide when being shifted from one line to the other.

The nature of my invention consists, primarily, in the novel construction and arrangement of valves and the manner of operating the same, an d it relates to the novel construction and arrangement of piston with double heads and the manner of operating the same, and to the means provided for switching trains from the main line to that of a branch line and vice versa.

The tube A is east of suitable metal and of size and shape to correspond to that of the plan of the work to be constructed. A slot or opening is cut longitudinally through the upper face side of the tube A of sufficient width to permit the free passage of the driving-barD, as hereinafter described. The face of the tube just over the slot is milled to a curve to constitute a curved valve-seat, .2, that shall conform to that of the radius of the valves C, as hereinafter described.

A longitudinal groove, 0, is milled in the upper lefthand face of the tube A, the ob- 1 ject of which is to receive the lower edge of i the horizontal bar F as a steadyingsupport as it moves along the tube when opening and closing the valves, as described Figs. 1 and 2. l The flange I forms a plane along the face of the tube A, to which. the arched buttressbracket B is securely bolted, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper extremity of which bracket is made to conform to that of the valves C, Fig. 8, which are journaled in it in the form of a hinge. To the central ribbed portion of the valves C, a series of such valves being employed, is cast a radial arm, 1, on the end of which is mounted a frictional roller, 2, l the object of which is to engage the incline slot 0, provided in the horizontal bar F, as hereinafter more fully described.

The driving-bar D is securely attached to the piston-rod by means of its sleeve and bolts, as shown in Fig. 4.. To the bar D is securely attached, at a point just above the face i of the main tube. a horizontal valve-operating bar, F, provided with an incline slot, c, and operatin as hereinafter d eseribed. The drivtube A to a radius that will bring the slotted bar F directly in the path of the frictional roller 2 on the end of the radial arm 1 of the valve 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will thus be seen that as the driving-bar 1) moves along its path, carrying with it the horizontal sloti ted bar F, it will engage with the frictional. 5 roller 2, which plays on the radial. arm 1 of the valves C, and by this means cause the valves C to move back and forth in the seg ment of a circle over the slot in the line-tube A, thus providii'ig a means of transit of the driving-bar D by alternately opening and closing en route the valves C, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The valve 0 is provided with a leather pad, 11, about its faced edge, as shown in Fig. 8. To make secure and positive the hermetical sealing of the slot in the tube A, I provide a series of spiral springs along the face of the valve (3. These springs find receptacles in holes drilled radially in the valve t, and are so adjusted that they will exert a continuous yielding pressure against the leather pad '1', which covers the slot in the tube A. The break in the valve C, Fig. 1, will show the position of the spiral spring referred to. The

ing-bar D is deflected just over the slotin the piston-rod is provided with two heads, N N, of peculiar construction, which are placed on the bar at such a distance apart as will insure steadiness to the moving parts. It will be noticed by reference to the drawings that the head or disk is located in the center of the barrel or rims of the same, and is further provided with a central hub or sleeve, which is fitted adjustably over the end of the pistonrod P, as and for the purpose herein specified.

The thin rims or ends of the heads N are provided with a series of longitudinal slits about their circumference, (see N N Z l, Figs. at and 5.) By this means the heads are rendered flexible, and are thus enabled to conform to the inequalities of bore, different gradations, curves, &c., in the tube Awithout undue strain on the piston-heads, &c. ff indicate annular channels around their heads, which provide a means of securing an annular packing of rubber or other elastic substance which shall render the head air-tight when in the tube A. The inside of the ends of the heads is provided with a suitable rubber tube, 11,01 other substance which shall eover'the slits in the rims of the heads N, as shown at n, Fig. 5.

Affixed to the end ol: the rod P by means of screw and nut is a valve or disk, K, provided with a series of holes or apertures, through which the air is admitted or exhausted from between the heads N N. Themeans provided for admitting or exhausting the air are as follows: The rod Z) is provided with a vertical adjustment by means of lover or screw. (Not shown.) The rod 1) engages with the elbowlever J, which is pivoted to the lug on the end of the sleeve of the bar D. The other end of the elbow-lever engages the link 0, attached to the sleeve of N at lug 5, as shown. It will be seen that by lifting the rod 1) the connections referred to will force the head N out against the disk K, and vice versa, thus clos ing or opening the space between the heads N and K. \V hen the space between the head and disk is open, the air enters through the holes 6 in the disk K to the space between the cheeks of N and K, thence through the holes 6 in the disk N to the space between the pis- The heads of N and K are so ton-heads N N.

adjusted that the check of one will, when closed, cover the aperture e in the other, and vice versa. 7

In providing a means for shifting a train froln a main line to a branch line I cast to a section of the main-line tube a supplemental tube, .90, with an easy curvature that shall ex.- actly correspond in length and bore to that ol' the main section A, the adjacent ends of which have been provided with a box-like frame or receptacle, it, into which the branch section shall exactly fit and play. \Vhen passing a train from the main line to the branch, the section of double tubes is shifted over to the position of the dotted line 1'', thus connecting the branch. line with the main line by means of the curved tube 00, as shown in Fig. 9, and vice versa. The shifting is done by means of the lever V, as shown. The train is controlled by opening and closing the space between the heads N and K.

Vacuum or compression maybe used separately or together in the above system.

I claim-- 1. The air-chamber A, when constructed with a curved valve-seat, z, flange I, and longitudinal groove 0, as shown, and for the purpose specified.

2. The vibratory valve C, provided withthe pad 2', and having the series of spiral springs, as set forth, and having a radial arm, 1, provided with a frictional roller, all substantialhv as shown and described.

In combination, the tube A, bracket B, and valve C, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the piston and heads, the bar I), bar F,frictional roller2,radial arm 1, and valve 0, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In eombinatiomthe rod P, the adjustable head N, and disk K, the head and disk having perforations c therein not in line or non-registering with each other, as and for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE 'L. DU LANEY. Witnesses:

W. J. KENNEDY, J. S. STEENBURGH. 

